5 Best F1 Games of All Time, Ranked

If you're a fan of Formula One (F1) racing, then you know that the thrill of watching these cars speed around a track is unparalleled. But what about when there's no race? That's where video games come in! F1 games allow fans to get behind the wheel and experience all the excitement and tension of a real race. These games have had fans hooked for over three decades by incorporating realistic simulations into its beautiful graphics.

There is certainly no getting away from the cutting-edge and high-resolution F1 games of today. It, however, can be pretty tempting to dig into some retro consoles, eventually proving every bit as fun and engaging as they used to be. But what determines the best sim racing games ever made? Some games may have had high reviews on their first release, while others have had more immersive simulations and driving experiences. What's definite is that with each game comes a fair share of love and criticism. 

In that regard, here are the best five F1 games of all time.

5. F1 Race Stars

A rather unorthodox take on racing games, Codemasters decided to delve into kart racing radically. F1 Race Stars pretty much vanished into obscurity. It was developed in 2012 to branch into the world of Mario Kart-esque gaming. The game also featured all the teams and drivers from the 2012 season, plus two additional fictional teams with female drivers.

It may be easy to knock out this game for its imperfectly simulated experiences. For one, the drivers and cars, though easily recognizable, had relatively large heads and cartoon-slanted wheels. It was also possible to see skewness carving up into the sky in the race track corners.

Nevertheless, the skewness gives rollercoaster sections of excitement. Fans of the game enjoy endless hours of fun with a similar resemblance to Mario Kart and Crash Team Racing. Though odd in its genre of formula one simulation, the cartoon journey through the races brought some wild fun into the more common sim-heavy releases. One somewhat generic weapon incorporated into the game was trapping racers in bubblegum. It seems disappointingly far-fetched but still fun to do. You'll undoubtedly find it cheap to play, and it is an excellent game for younger F1 fans to enjoy.

4. F1 2013

After the previous F1 2012 series flunked, Codemasters added this solid addition to the series. Although F1 2013  may not be the latest new generation F1 game, it sure is by far one of the best. Firstly, the game emphatically dives into throwbacks. Here, you can download some of the iconic cars from back in the day. We're talking championship-winning machines from Lotus, Ferrari, and William, dating back to the 1980s and 1990s. 

It is safe to say that Codemasters have been releasing a rollercoaster of quality games. With the F1 2012, it was not necessarily bad. However, critics thought the game was disappointing. This led to the impeccable innovation in bringing in the ‘less screaming' but more vintage cars, circuits, and even drivers from the late '80s. They went further to add in filters, optional color grain, and some nice era-specific graphics, spicing up the whole classics experience. 

Furthermore, this edition includes a scenario mode that allows you to utilize a safety car situation to close the distance on arrival or fix a faulty gear past the checked flag. You can also hone your skills in twenty testing challenges, saving your progress with each mid-session. 

3. F1 Championship Edition

As the only F1 game created by Studio Liverpool, F1 Championship Edition did not disappoint. It has superior aesthetics for its 2006 release. The game's delivery was so good that it was the PlayStation 3's launch title in Europe.

Players get a lot of perks playing this F1 edition. It includes commentary from James Allen and Martin Bundle over the races. You can warm up your tires by taking parade laps, making quick-time event stops, and enjoying beautiful steering that is surprisingly sharp. One still impressive feature of this edition is realism in car damage. For instance, you can see a wheel fall off when you collide with another car. Running at 60 frames per second, this game is arguably more involved in its time and still is quite a sensation fifteen years on.

2. F1 World Grand Prix

For many avid F1 followers, you may be aware of this pioneer to the game. With its first release in 1997, this game was one of the best racing games for many years. Given the rapid changes in technology, its graphics and content may fall short compared to today's games. 

However, realism was fictional in the late '90s. Then came the Grand Prix series that revolutionized polygonal graphics into a serious immersive F1 racing game. Its most prominent feature was the customization of everything about the car. Though customization options were pretty basic, like changing tires, wing settings, or adding fuel, the difference it made in the history of F1 racing was quite phenomenal. It was also one of the first online racers, though players had to race offline and submit their times to a server.

The game gave players a challenge mode that incorporated actual races from the 1997 season. This field action was the coolest yet most stressful scenario. An aspect that had fans hooked on the game for months. Simply put, this game is old-school racing at its finest. Some may argue it was ahead of its time with comparable features to today's games.

1. F1 2020

Codemasters went above and beyond taking steps to utilize today's cutting-edge technology in fulfilling even more immersive races with F1 2020. This game is a realistic racing simulator that provides gamers an almost real-life Formula 1 gameplay experience, which has been made possible thanks to their continued technological innovation throughout the years; it also features customizable cars and tracks as well as many other awesome additions!

Unlike other driver versus driver racers, F1 2020 allows you to curate your own team alongside the official teams, adding your team as the 11th team in the Official Championship. This edition gives players some creative freedom when it comes to how their team operates; you choose a driver, choose a sponsor, hire a teammate, and an engine supplier.

Not only that, the game also allows players to build facilities and develop their teams over time. Perhaps the biggest win in a long time, this edition brings back the split-screen, which allows you to challenge your friends while enjoying building your career in the game. Among the top F1 games,  F1 2020 sequel is the outright winner hands down.

Do you agree with our listing of the best F1 games of all time? Let us know what you think in our socials here or in the comment section below.

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